It was the purpose of this study to develop a model which functions as a representation of classes of elements attributed to creativity, processes for making art, and the means through which individuals acquire information. The interconnections among the classes were described through two written and pictorial explanations. The first explanation of the model was based upon inclusive relationships among the classes, and described their common characteristics and dependencies. The second explanation concerned the functional relationships, and was used to describe the changes which occur among and within classes when any class is changed. The structural framework provided by the inclusive and functional relationships among the classes was used as a guide for a discussion of creativity in art and the fostering of creativity through art education. / Based upon the review of literature, the model, and a formative pilot study, the following conclusions were made: (1) The totality of the classes as represented in the model is important for conceptualizing creativity in art and art education. The classes when examined in isolation concern separate aspects of creativity, cognition, and/or the environment. The model, however, provides a structural framework in which the classes can be studied in relation to one another, allowing for more unified and comprehensive understandings of creativity in art and art education. (2) The structural framework provided by the inclusive and functional relationships among the classes of the model can be used as a basis for experimentation, analysis, and discussion of creativity in art and art education. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2446. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-10, Section: A, page: 5290. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare three art(s) programs and to explore the influence of selected arts experiences (combined dance, theatre, music, and the visual/plastic arts) and conventional art experiences (visual/plastic arts only) on children's drawings with special regard for the measurement of the amount of action and detail depicted. / The Subjects. The subjects were elementary school students involved in an arts education program or a conventional art program in three different school systems in the United States. In total, there were 335 subjects; 118 first graders, 103 second graders, and 114 third graders. Of these, 164 were female and 171 were male students. / Procedures. A motivational package was sent to each of the participating classrooms in each of the three school systems. This package contained a short cassette tape, a map, a set of photographs, and drawing paper. The tape presented voices of a fictional "family" from Tallahassee, Florida who were presumably moving to each school sampled in the study. The students were requested to draw themselves with their families and/or friends doing something together. It was requested that this drawing give some indication of the neighborhood or environment to which the "family" was going to move. In response to the motivational packaged materials, one (1) drawing was collected from each student in the participating classrooms. / Instruments. Two different instruments were used to obtain data for this study. The data obtained from the two instruments were used for statistical analysis of the amount of action and detail between students in arts education and conventional art education. / The Broyles Drawing Action Inventory was designed by the investigator for the purpose of assessing the amount of action students depicted in their drawings. / The Broyles Drawing Detail Inventory was designed by the investigator for the purpose of assessing the amount of detail students depicted in their drawings. / Conclusions. (1) According to the findings of this study, it would be presumptuous to conclude that students involved in arts education programs significantly include more action in their drawings than their counterpart in a more conventional art program. This conclusion was also apparent with respect to grade level and gender. However, it was observed that students involved in a variety of arts experiences tended to show a higher percentage of depicted action. In addition, categorically, the amount of action depicted by all students tended to improve with grade level. (2) The findings indicated a relationship between arts experiences and the amount of detail children include in their drawings. (3) The grade level at which arts experiences may have an influence on the amount of detail children depicit in their drawings appears uncertain. According to the findings, it was statistically significant at the first grade level only. (4) The findings suggested a major relationship with regard to the depiction of detail by females and males in arts programs. One could conclude that arts experiences aid both the female and male student in including detail in their drawings and that such a program could be equally beneficial to both sexes in this regard. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 0905. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

Art criticism is a conscious and systematic procedure for revealing the expressive significance of works of art. People encounter things in their world through behavior and perception, thus an inquiry into these processes is important to art criticism. To be effective, art criticism must provide some means of realizing the expressive value of works of art, which presents a problem in aesthetics. / The purpose of this inquiry was to gather and explain selected aspects of Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology in the areas of perception, behavior, and aesthetics in order to apply his ideas toward an appropriate methodology for art criticism. / According to Merleau-Ponty, a person is engaged in a dialectic with things in the world. This dialectic is realized through an individual's behavior and perception, which holistically and synergetically operate to order, create, and respond to the world. A work of art, in this context, is a communicative object. / Behaviors, which may be categorized into instinctive, transferable, and symbolic forms, function in a milieu to create complex structures, or orders, which involve language and art. As individuals gain experience, their behaviors are modified; they learn, adapt, and develop aptitudes for interacting with their world. / Perception is the relationship of a person's body and consciousness with the world. An individual probes the world for meanings through intersensory contact and acts of intention. Things reveal themselves only partially due to their perspectival and temporal nature. Intending a work of art involves the phenomenological reduction, wherein the object in question is placed within conscious brackets in order to focus upon its inherent qualities without interference from tangential or irrelevant information. The significance of an object is discovered through reflection, which is the synthesis of experiential moments into an interpretation of what is perceived. / Although Merleau-Ponty did not provide any method for the practice of art criticism, he did indicate that critical dialogue should be restricted to the visible surface qualities of a work of art and ideas implied by that surface. / Eleven propositions were derived from the phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty by this investigator, and are intended to serve as guidelines for the development of a method of art criticism. These propositions were divided into three clusters: (1) presuppositions for art criticism, (2) proposals for the practice of art criticism, and (3) statements suggesting significant individual and social benefits which may accrue from experiences in art criticism. / Based upon these propositions, and generally following the phenomenological method of description explained in the text, a method of art criticism was outlined. The method involves five consecutively ordered components. Each component is absorbed into the function of the next. The components are: (1) receptiveness, (2) orienting, (3) bracketing, (4) interpretive analysis, and (5) synthesis. Two or more people engaged in critical dialogue may revise and expand an interpretation beyond what one person might discover alone. A major advantage of a phenomenological method of art criticism is that it allows variations in the expression of feelings and ideas about a work of art, provided those expressions reflect an authentic experience of the work itself. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-07, Section: A, page: 2890. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

This is a descriptive study of high school art teacher/student attitudes towards art exhibitions, competitions, and contests. A survey was utilized to measure respondents' attitudes and perceptions to determine the present nature of these activities and their effects on the art program. / The population included high school art teachers and students in the State of Alabama in the 1979-80 school year. Two types of sampling were used, cluster and simple random, for students and teachers respectively. The sampling frame consisted of high schools in Alabama offering an art curriculum. Schools were randomly selected. / The data gathering instrument, designed by the researcher, consisted of 30 survey items assessing both teacher and student attitudes. The instrument was administered to students by teachers who had agreed to serve as liaisons. Surveys were mailed directly to teachers for participation. The instrument had an overall reliability coefficient of .63, determined by Cronbach's Alpha. Fixed alternative responses on a five-point agree/disagree scale (Likert scale) were used. Responses were recorded on answer sheets and electronically scored. / Eighty-three teacher responses, 55% of the teacher population, and 1399 student responses, 14.5% of the student population, were received and computed using the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS). / Frequency analysis of survey items revealed primarily positive responses. There was no significant difference between teacher and student attitudes. Confidence Interval testing was used to determine significant differences in respondents' attitudes for each survey item based upon (+OR-)7% teacher accuracy; (+OR-)3% student accuracy. Alpha = .05. The Chi Square statistic was computed to seek relationships between teacher/student attitudes and teacher/student variables. At the .05 level, results indicated that attitudes and school system size and art class level were not related. / The following are the major conclusions of the survey based upon teacher/student perceptions of and attitudes towards art exhibitions, competitions, and contests: Teachers do not have a clear understanding of art education policy concerning competition; teachers and students are in favor of competitions and participate in them regardless of negative endorsement from the profession; teachers and students basically have positive attitudes towards, and are positively affected by art exhibitions, competitions, and contests; art exhibitions, competitions, and contests are used for publicity; art programs are judged by how many winners are produced; and art programs with more art funds "show" better. Both teachers and students had primarily positive attitudes regarding other related factors to art exhibitions, competitions, and contests, such as, competition for gifted art students, teacher influence, optional participation, evaluation and judgment of art work, etc. / Recommendations included: a more precise statement concerning competition from the profession, appropriate revisions and policy changes, better communications between art educators and sponsoring agents, and exploration of alternatives to competition. / Further research was recommended: (1) at the national level, (2) relevant to the gifted art student, (3) to determine the types of art events most beneficial to students, (4) to determine how students are positively or negatively affected by art exhibitions, competitions, and contests, and (5) to determine how effective art exhibitions, competitions, and contests are as public relations. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-07, Section: A, page: 2891. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the historical as well as the cultural background of Nigeria with respect to visual and performing arts which formed a basis for the development of a national policy regarding the visual and performing arts. The federal Nigerian government participation in the arts, both in the development and promotion of those arts was also examined. The national policies of support for the arts in the countries such as Peru, Senegal, Zaire, Great Britain, France, Finland and the United States of America were also surveyed for possible adaptation into the author's preliminary plan toward a national artistic policy specifically for the southern states in Nigeria, based on selected criteria relating to Nigeria. / The design of the study consisted of two major parts. Part I presents the need for the study and the problem statement; operational definition of terms which are essential for artistic and policymaking decisions; the review of related literature which focused on the preservation of cultural values and the importance of meeting cultural needs based on the perspectives of the UNESCO conference representatives; art in Nigeria during pre-nationhood, the colonial era and the post-independence period; and the methodological framework of the study, comprised of historical, philosophical and descriptive methods. / The Western European impact on both Nigerian art and the artist was also examined. The traditional and the contemporary Nigerian art forms were illustrated. The status of the federal government policy on the visual and performing arts in southern Nigeria was surveyed with special emphasis on the existing National Council for the Arts and Culture and the Cultural Division (both of which are located in the federal Ministry of Information), and six State Arts Councils. / In Part II, a preliminary plan toward a national artistic policy was developed for the southern states. This consisted of a policy, mission statement, the creation and the duties of the proposed National Council for the Arts and Culture. The responsibility of the National Council for the Arts and Culture to the community arts councils, and the state arts councils was also identified through a joint program called the National/Community program and partnership. / Part II also includes the implementation of the program, and the recommendations that could be useful to the federal government in legislating a superstructure of a national artistic policy, emphasizing the traditional and contemporary Nigerian creativity with special attention to the cultural richness and diversity of each ethnic community. / It was concluded based on the author's findings that artistic policy is possible and necessary to protect Nigeria's cultural heritage because such steps have been taken in different countries both in the developed and the underdeveloped nations. It was found that even though there seems to be the government participation in those arts, it is still ineffective and lacks the pragmatic actions necessary to raise a national, cultural consciousness in the country, especially in the southern states. / The finding also revealed that economic and social planning did not include, in practical terms, the arts (visual and performing) which has kept the general arts awareness at a low level. It was summarized that just as Nigeria has a physical army to protect her border against an adversary, so a cultural force (an arts agency) with a declared purpose is also needed to protect, propagate, present, and promote Nigeria's cultural heritage. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 0905. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

The purpose of this investigation was to study a comparison of the effects of two methods of teaching selected concepts from Cubism on the studio production of middle school students. Differences between the results of the teaching of control and experimental methods were attributed to the impetus of enrichment synchronized slide-tape programs being integrated into studio production. Answers were sought to the questions: (1) can students who obtain enriched art history lessons on Cubism show more creativity on their art productions? and, (2) can the integration of enriched art history and related studio activity help students gain more knowledge of subject matter and intellectual concepts of art history? / One hundred and forty-one heterogenous members of the eighth grade art classes of the four middle schools in Dothan, Alabama, were the subject of the study. The middle school supervisor randomly assigned two schools to be in the control group and two in the experimental group. / The content and learning materials for the control group were the same as for the experimental group and both groups participated in integrated studio art activity. The study sheets, discussion, studio art activity, and use of The McDearman Paper-Pencil Test consisting of two twenty-five multiple choice items were conducted as with the control group with the exception of two ten-minute synchronized slide-tape enrichment presentations which were given to the experimental group at the beginning of each week of the two week study. / Experimental groups who were exposed to the art history enrichment lessons demonstrated gains in performance of skills, originality, and Cubistic influences in their art production as measured by the McDearman Judgment Scale used by three art education teachers with master's degrees and experience working with this age group. In the comprehension and retention of concepts about art history, the students who received enrichment treatments did not perform better than the control groups as measured by McDearman Paper-Pencil Test. The .05 level was used as the basis for acceptance of the hypotheses and the alpha = .05. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2447. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

In 1870 a collection of plaster casts after the antique was placed in a Boston public school. It was intended to serve as an experiment to improve the aesthetic taste of the nations youth. To understand the significance of these casts as inspirational objects and instructive teaching aids, it was necessary to view them within their proper historical and social context. / This historical study investigated the role of art education as an institution among other social institutions in nineteenth-century North American society. It includes a review of the underlying ideals, values, beliefs, and attitudes that motivated human behavior in and out of schools as they related to the educational value of plaster casts. / The study begins with the introduction of plaster casts in colonial America and traces the complex ideological, social, and cultural forces which led to their introduction into the school systems between 1870 and 1900. The research reveals that of particular relevance and importance were the development of professional art academics, the introduction of the concept of the art "museum" designed to improve public taste and disseminate "culture", and a recognized need to improve the aesthetic environment of the public schools. / The dissertation also demonstrates that plaster casts were associated with the education of the whole person and the visual mode of knowing, as well as, the comprehension of civilization. The results were a recognized need to educate the producer and consumer of art through the study of aesthetics, art history, art criticism, and art production. Almost one hundred years later these disciplines have once again become the major trend in art education curriculum reform. / The dissertation fills a gap in the history of art education left by writers such as Logan and Wygant, placing the introduction of plaster casts in public schools alongside the official introduction of drawing which occurred one year later. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-08, Section: A, page: 2077. / Major Professor: Betty Jo Troeger. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

A review of art education literature indicated that: (1) strategies in general art education have shifted from a child-centered, creative self-expression approach in the 1950s and 1960s to a more content-based approach in the 1980s; (2) ceramic instruction should include art history and art criticism; and (3) research had not yet included investigations of a content-based teaching mode in ceramic education. This study compared the effects of selected aspects of a newer content-based approach with a traditional creative self-expression approach in ceramic education. / On a pretest posttest basis, fifth graders in an experimental group (n = 16) and in a control group (n = 15) were tested on three independent variables: self-concept, attitude toward art and knowledge of art. Groups were equated on technical forming information. The experimental group viewed four sculptural slides and four slides of ceramic vessels. In two one-hour periods, a fifteen minute discussion of artistic style and compositional characteristics was followed by the making of a modeled human figure and a ceramic vessel. The control group motivation was based on the activation of passive knowledge. During a reflective period, both groups summarized treatments and discussed ceramic pieces. Five judges rated a fourth independent variable, the aesthetic quality of students' ceramic products, via the Gestalt Holistic Assessment. / A t-Test for independent and dependent samples and an ANOVA revealed no significant differences between groups, within groups or by sex on selected variables. Conclusions indicate that content-based historical and critical information: (1) does not inhibit ceramic instruction; (2) does not necessarily affect the overall quality of ceramic products; and (3) may have no more or less affect on student self-concept, attitude and knowledge than general technical instruction in ceramic education. A non-statistical related observation indicated that students who received content-based historical and critical information produced a wider variety of compositional characteristics in ceramic vessels and more often used a vertical stance and a formal base in the modeled human figure. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-04, Section: A, page: 0856. / Major Professor: Charles M. Dorn. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

This study measured effectual differences in visual awareness, cognitive abilities, art knowledge, and art attitudes between an experimental group taught utilizing only photographic imagery, related historical and biographical material, studio production, and critical activities as compared to a control group similarly taught utilizing only the traditional art media of drawing, painting, ceramics, and sculpture using the same instructional strategies. / Two classes of randomly selected ninth through twelfth grade beginning general art students participated in the study. The sample of students selected for the study had never received art instruction at the high school level. The experimental group and the control group met daily, with the duration of each class session being fifty-five minutes. The treatment period was 32.4 weeks, made up of 162 school calendar days. The researcher of the study was the art teacher for each of the groups. / Administration of the pretests and the posttests was performed during the first six sessions and the last seven sessions of the experiment. Both groups were administered identical tests including a cognitive abilities test, an art knowledge test, an art attitudinal inventory, and a hand-written critical analysis of a selected work of art. Between the pretest and posttest sessions, 16 sets of content-related lessons were taught to each group. / The statistical comparison of the data collected from the pretests and the posttest mean scores of both groups included t-tests for independent and related samples, Levine's Test for Equality of Variance (f and p), t-value, degrees of freedom, 2-tailed significance, and 95% Confidence Interval for difference which resulting in a failure to reject four null hypotheses. The results indicate there is not a statistically significant difference in a ninth through twelfth grade beginning general art students visual awareness, cognitive abilities, art knowledge, or art attitudes whether taught utilizing photography or traditional Media. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-10, Section: A, page: 3821. / Major Professor: Charles M. Dorn. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.